Device for winding and unwinding two-dimensional roll material

ABSTRACT

The invention refers to a device for winding or unwinding two-dimensional roll material, such as for example sheets and/or bands of artificial turf, with at least one pair of tongs, wherein at least two gripping and/or tongs elements delimiting at least partly a winding space with each time at least one roller arranged at the ends of the gripping and/or tongs elements and having a roller surface are arranged, wherein at least one of the rollers can be driven rotationally, and the rollers can be put into contact with a winding of the two-dimensional roll material in order to set the two-dimensional roll material in a winding motion that is in opposite direction of the rotational movement of the rollers for winding or unwinding.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention refers to a device for winding and unwinding two-dimensional roll material, such as for example rolls or bands of artificial turf. Here, it is about spreading the roll material, arranged on a roller, on an appropriate surface, for example a sports field. The reversed problem, namely picking up such a surface either after it is worn out or for transferring to another field, of course, can also be solved with the device according to the invention. Accordingly, the device is suited for winding as well as for unwinding two-dimensional roll material or roll material resulting from cutting a surface.

In the state of the art, a device for laying roll material has been known, wherein such a sheet is wound up for example on a roller. The roller has to be wound on a suitable axle or shaft that is guided through the roller, so that the device according to the state of the art is able to grip this roller. Accordingly, this device is only suited for spreading such sheet material, and not for the reversed case, that is picking up sheet material from a lawn or artificial turf, such as for example a sports field. Additionally, the device is rather complicated, and it is necessary to put the roll sheet in appropriate supports of a bracket. This has to be performed on both sides in order for the unwinding operation to be able to take place. Via a grid the sheet to be unwound, for example, is guided down to the surface that has to be covered. As already mentioned, the device is very complicated, and it is necessary to wind up this sheet material on special shafts or axles, to be able to unwind at all the roll by means of the device according to the state of the art.

Furthermore, a device has been known that has, similar to the before-described solution, gripper arms with supports on both sides in which a shaft or an axle has to be put in around which the sheet has first to be wound for the spreading operation. The production of the device according to the state of the art is here very laborious and can only work in one direction, that means the roller is, seen in the direction of spreading, in the back of the machine, and is unwound there. Therefore, the device itself has to be driven in reverse gear. The device of the state of the art is suited here for example for spreading artificial turf in the described direction, while the machine when it is moved vice versa, is suited for picking up these sheets. However, generally it is necessary also here to provide the rollers for the sheets of artificial turf with shafts and/or axles. These are put in appropriate tongs of a lifting arm on both sides.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Referring to this state of the art, it is the problem of the invention to suggest a device that makes laying of two-dimensional roll material and/or picking up two-dimensional roll material considerably easier. In particular, when manufacturing such a device the effort should be reduced. The device is also supposed to reduce the labour when it is employed as intended.

The invention refers to the above-described state of the art, and suggests a device for winding or unwinding two-dimensional roll material. This roll material is, for example, sheets and/or bands of artificial turf. For this purpose, the invention has at least one pair of tongs provided with at least two gripping and/or tongs elements delimiting at least partly the winding space. At each of the ends of the gripping and/or tongs elements at least one roller is arranged. This roller has a roller surface, that is a surface that forms entirely or partly the superficies of the roller. At least one of the rollers can be driven rotatorily, that is it can be set in a rotational motion via a suitable drive. In the device provided for receiving the roll material wound in windings and/or to guide it during winding or unwinding, the rollers can be put to this winding of the two-dimensional roll material in order to hold the wound up two-dimensional roll material and/or to set the winding formed of it in a rotating motion for winding and/or unwinding. The winding movement is here directed in particular in opposite direction to the rotating movement of the rollers. The advantage of a device of this kind is obvious. The gripper and/or the tongs of the grippers do not necessarily have to be provided on both sides, a gripping device on one side and/or provided with only one pair of tongs is sufficient. It is another advantage of the invention that for the roll of the roll material during spreading as well as during picking up neither a shaft nor an axle is required on which the sheet material has to be wound. This is an essential advantage compared with the state of the art. The winding formed of the two-dimensional roll material is held within the gripping or tongs elements, and there set in rotating motion via the rollers. Thus, a shaft is not required initiating this rotating movement. Furthermore, the roller of the device can be driven rotatorily, that means it can be driven in one case by a forced movement that is derived from the movement of the device itself, for example out of the traveling movement of the device and the movement of the rollers across the floor. However, it can also be provided with a suitable, preferably a controlled, drive. This drives the roller. Also the speed of spreading and/or picking up the roll material can be defined via the drive. The effort for constructing and operating such a device is also reduced compared with the state of the art, for example, by the fact that not necessarily an individual drive is required for the device itself. Thus, for example, the rotational drive of one of the rollers can be used as motion drive, and/or the rotational movement of the roller drives at the same time the device. The device can be configured, for example, as drawn and/or pushed device. The device is driven or moved by a traction engine, of course, the effort for purchasing such a device being lowered. This is important, for example, for the user who already owns suitable traction engines, and requires only a suitable coupling or an interface for coupling the device. The device then can be moved by means of this. Of course, the interface can have interfaces for connecting the hydraulic elements or electric elements of the device. Accordingly, the device is also suited for being driven via the driving aggregates of the traction engine. Of course, this does not exclude that the device can also have its own motion drive for moving the device when the roll sheets are spread or picked up. The device achieves altogether also a compacter winding of the roll itself. During spreading, the spreading speed may be controlled, if necessary, so that the device has considerably advantages compared with the solutions of the state of the art described in the beginning, and, in particular, can be manufactured more economically. In particular, also the labour during the use as intended is reduced, namely by saving a shaft and/or an axle on which the sheet material is wound up and/or from which the sheet material is unwound. Of course, this is altogether more economic as during transport weight can be saved. During spreading these sheets also the shafts are not necessary that have to be returned to the manufacturer in order to wind up more sheets. All this is not necessary anymore so that decisive advantages compared with the known state of the art are achieved.

The term “winding” or “windings” refers in connection with the current invention to a roll formed of wound up, two-dimensional roll material.

The term “sheet material” or “two-dimensional roll material” refers in connection with the current invention to a flat structure with a longitudinal extension that is larger than the cross extension.

This is either produced directly with suitable dimensions or cut out of an existing expanse. The two-dimensional roll material is, for example, natural or artificial turf or a synthetic material forming the covering of sports fields cut into sheets or bands. However, the invention is not restricted to this.

The terms “tongs element” and/or “gripping element” can be used synonymously in the connection of the present invention. Generally, gripping or tongs elements as limbs or jaws of the tongs can be moved relatively to each other, what realizes the gripping movement of the tongs.

A device as described before is characterized in a development in that two parallel extending rollers are provided. Essentially, the rollers are orientated vertically to a feed direction of the device, and extend in the direction of the width of the roll material. This embodiment makes it possible to further improve the device for spreading and picking up of sheet material in two moving directions. It is not excluded to perform picking up and/or spreading on both sides, that is in two traveling directions, with only one roller. Providing two rollers, however, improves the winding and unwinding operation considerably, and the roll material is guided. In general, such an arrangement achieves also a higher speed for spreading and/or picking up, and a higher accuracy for laying or picking up.

As already mentioned, an advantageous development of the invention, that can, of course, be employed also in connection with the already described embodiments, is characterized in that the at least one roller is forced-driven. Forced-driven according to the invention means that it is mechanically driven in that the device is moved, for example, by a traction engine. The movement transfers the traveling movement of the device, for example, mechanically via a gear, a cardan shaft or the like to the roller and/or both rollers. Of course, a suitable gearbox can be interposed, for example, for changing the speed or direction of winding.

Of course, it is also possible to provide a device where the at least one roller has an electric or hydraulic drive. The effort for the mechanic coupling can then be done without. The electric or hydraulic drive for the roller can be arranged immediately at or near the center of the roll sheet so that the dimensions of the drive remain rather low. Such an electric or hydraulic drive, of course, can be controlled so that the result of winding/unwinding can be improved. During spreading, of course, such a control option is an advantage in order to be able to spread the sheet even and taut on the floor. The speed of laying can also be influenced via the control of the electric or hydraulic drive.

Furthermore it is an advantage when, according to another embodiment, that can also be employed in connection with the before described modifications and examples, two parallel orientated tongs are provided. This configuration achieves a stable guide of the sheet material and/or the winding.

In a development the device is characterized in that the at least one roller is supported at least at one pair of tongs, that is at the free end of the gripping or tongs elements forming the tongs. By this embodiment an individual support for the roller is avoided by providing the roller directly at the tongs. Of course, an axle provided at the tongs can be used for supporting the roller.

Furthermore, it is an advantage when the device is characterized in that at least one pair of tongs is configured for performing a gripping movement. The configuration of the tongs is here such that the gripping or tongs elements can move relatively towards each other so that the gripping movement is realized. In the same way, the invention, of course, comprises also a modification where one of the two gripping or tongs elements is stationary and the other gripping or tongs element can move relatively to this one. This configuration serves either for picking up the roller or depositing it, what means that transporting the roller can be realized either out of the device or into the device.

A development of the before described invention is characterized in that each of the pairs of tongs have stationary and movable gripping elements and/or tongs elements. Preferably, one of the tongs and/or gripping elements is stationary and the other one is movable. Thus a solution with a simple construction can be realized saving costs in production. Of course, such a construction of the device is less prone to failures.

Furthermore, the invention is characterized in that the gripping or tongs element of the tongs can move towards each other hydraulically. It is an advantage here that for a gripping movement of the tongs a mechanic coupling to a vehicle is not necessary anymore. The device can be employed independently from a driven vehicle.

Furthermore, the invention is characterized in that at each of the stationary gripping or tongs elements a gripping element axle is provided that effects, preferably driven by hydraulic cylinders, the gripping movement as swiveling movement. Such a configuration is suited for simplifying the gripping as this can be performed by the device itself. A separate aggregate, for example of a driving device, is not necessary. A swiveling movement can be performed by means of hydraulic or electric drives. Of course, it is possible in the simplest form to provide hydraulic cylinders in order to derive the tongs movement from an existing hydraulic aggregate of the device.

Furthermore, the invention is characterized in that at the movable gripping elements at least one reinforcement, preferably two reinforcements is/are provided. This/these reinforcement/s serve/s for further enhancing the stability of the tongs, and in particular for the further improvement of compacting the roller and/or winding during the winding process. The configuration also guarantees, as described before, a congruent winding during the winding process, while during the unwinding process, of course, a very accurate spreading of the roll sheets in a parallel plane can be performed.

It is another advantage when the roller arranged at the movable gripping or tongs elements has a roller swiveling axle and is supported swiveling via this. As an alternative, the roller can be attached exchangeable to the roller swiveling axle in order to change, for example, the active length of the movable gripping or tongs elements. Both solutions serve for enabling the use of larger rolls of the roll material, that is rolls with a larger diameter.

Thus, longer operating times can be achieved, that means that the roller has to be exchanged less frequently.

Another aspect of the device provides a transport bracket for transporting the device, for example with a hauler. The advantage of such a development according to the invention is the fact that a chassis is not necessary for the device. The device can be supported, for example, on the rollers during the intended use, and is gripped during transport via the transport bracket, and is held there for transporting at or on a suitable transport device. It is an advantage here when the transport bracket is arranged at the stationary gripping elements of the at least one pair of tongs. This creates a very stable holding device for the device that can be loaded heavily. As the tongs have to carry a high load, at least with respect to the stationary gripping or tongs elements, this stationary gripping or tongs element has be dimensioned during construction suitable for receiving these loads. Integrating the transport bracket of the device at the gripping or tongs element is no additional effort, so that the device also can be transported by means of the bracket.

For lifting a winding of two-dimensional sheet material, the transport bracket can be vertically shortened or swiveled. This embodiment achieves a support during lifting and/or lowering the sheet roll.

The device is also characterized in that the transport bracket is equipped with an electro-mechanic drive. For example, this serves for lifting and lowering the sheet roll, for example without an additional wheel loader or the like.

According to a development, the device has a cutting or sawing device for cutting the two-dimensional roll material. This cutting or sawing device is provided at this device itself. Of course, the cutting device is in particular provided for the case of picking up artificial turf or coverings of fields, for example sports fields, as there the spread sheets are fixedly interconnected. By the way, the former joints often cannot be discerned without problems. In order to remove the sheets, they have to be cut first. This is carried out with the cutting device. The cutting device, arranged for example in the direction of picking up before the rollers of the device, separates a sheet from the covering and wounds it into a sheet material roller. It is possible here to provide a cutting or sawing device only on one side at the device, of course, preferably in the direction of moving on the right hand side. Of course, it is also possible to provide the cutting or sawing device on both sides.

According to an advantageous development the device is characterized in that the cutting or sawing device is provided at the stationary gripping or tongs element of the tongs. Thus, the cutting or sawing device can be easily positioned and aligned. Also the cutting width of the sheets to be picked up can be determined.

It is an advantage when the sawing device is configured as a circular saw driven by an electro-motor. In the same way, it is, of course, possible to provide a hydraulic drive or the like instead of an electro-motor. Advantageously, thus it is possible to provide a simple and effective constructive solution and a compact construction of the device.

Preferably, the device is configured as a coupling device to an automotive vehicle. However, it can also be configured as an automotive vehicle driven by its own driving system. In the case of a coupling device it is an advantage if at least one of the rollers is forced-driven in order to present a simple mechanic solution that saves the effort for other drives. A device that can be controlled more exactly and be influenced accordingly is presented as an alternative in that at least at one of the rollers a hydraulic or electro-motor drive is provided. It controls the picking-up speed for winding and/or unwinding, and supports a compact winding during the winding process. During unwinding, of course, such a drive achieves that there are no displacements or accumulation of sheet material during the unwinding process by too fast unwinding compared with the speed of traveling. Accordingly, the invention suggests altogether a very simple device that can be configured as an automotive vehicle as well as a coupling device. This depends on the requirements of the user of the device. Both modifications are comprised by the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, the invention is described in further detail by means of examples. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is the side view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention,

FIG. 2 a is the three-dimensional presentation of the device according to the invention with open tongs,

FIG. 2 b is the three-dimensional presentation of the device according to the invention with closed tongs.

Identical or corresponding elements in the figures are each referred to by the same reference numbers, and therefore are, if not useful, not described anew.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a side view an embodiment of the device according to the invention for winding or unwinding two-dimensional roll material. The device according to the invention consists of at least one pair of tongs 10 and/or 20. The tongs 20 is formed each time by a stationary tongs or gripping element 21 and a movable tongs or gripping element 22. The terms “tongs element” and “gripping element” can be used synonymously. In the following, the terms thus refer to similar elements of the device. As it can be seen, the stationary tongs element 21 and the movable tongs element 22 are interconnected flexibly via a gripping element axle 211. It is obvious that at the stationary gripping element 21 a hydraulic cylinder 72 is arranged the piston of which engaging in the movable gripping element 22. A swiveling movement of the movable gripping element 22 towards the stationary gripping element 21 can thus be created as it is indicated by the position presented with a dashed line.

In the shown embodiment, a cutting or sawing device 60, that is, for example, a driven circular saw blade, is indicated at the stationary gripping element 21. Also a not in detail shown guiding device is part of the cutting or sawing device 60. At the stationary gripping element 21 a first roller 30 is provided that can be driven rotatorily. This is carried out by a hydraulic drive 31. At the movable gripping or tongs element 22, another roller 40 is arranged that can also be driven via a hydraulic drive 41. Between the two gripping elements 21, 22 a winding space 200 is located indicated schematically by an arrow. In this winding space 200 either a roller the material of which has to be spread, is put in and/or received in order to lay the sheet, or in the reversed case for picking up a sheet, in this winding space 200 the roll material is wound on a roll or winding.

As it can be seen, at least one of the rollers for winding or unwinding protrudes partly in the winding space 200. In the case presented, even both rollers 30 and 40 protrude in the winding space 200 with a part of their circumference and/or their superficies. This makes it possible, as it were, to wind up the roll sheet without an axle or shaft. During the winding process, the rollers 30, 40 each move in a movement opposite to the rotational movement of the roller or winding, as it is indicated for example by arrows in FIG. 2 a. This saves the weight of a shaft, and a transport of the shaft, in particular a return after spreading the sheet is not necessary. The roller can be wound and/or unwound without shaft, what comprises considerable advantages compared with the state of the art. In the embodiment, at the stationary gripping element 21 a transport bracket 50 is provided. Reference number 51 refers to an electro-mechanic drive so that the vertical position of the transport bracket can be adjusted. This has been proved advantageous, for example, for picking up or depositing a roller. Reference number 121 indicates a reinforcement that is only shown in a side view. The same goes for another reinforcement 122 that can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. At the movable gripping element 22 a roller swiveling axle 123 is shown by which the roller 40 can be swiveled. In the shown embodiment, it is not provided this way, however, the option is there. Furthermore, according to the invention there is the option of providing an interface for a change at this roller swiveling axles 123 by means of which the effective length of the movable gripping element 22 can be changed, for example lengthened or shortened. This embodiment is not shown in the drawing, either. Of course, it is clear that in side view the device is shown with only one pair of tongs 20, while in the next figures the embodiment of the device with two pairs of tongs 10, 20 is shown.

FIG. 2 a shows a three-dimensional representation of the device according to the invention with opened tongs 10 and 20 interconnected fixedly via the reinforcements 121 and 122. The reinforcements 121, 122 also determine the effective width of the roller sheet to be picked up and/or unwound as maximum measurement. The gripping element axle is referred to by 111. Of course, it is also possible to wind in the winding space 200 narrower rollers than the width of the device would allow. Arrows at the rollers 30 and 40 indicate the direction the rollers move in. All other characteristics have already been presented, and are here used again with identical reference numbers. Presenting them once more is not necessary. Only the different reference numbers of the hydraulic cylinders at the first tongs 10 and/or the second tongs 20 have been added compared to FIG. 1. At the first tongs 10 a hydraulic cylinder 72 and at the second tongs a hydraulic cylinder 71 is provided.

FIG. 2 b shows the embodiment of FIG. 2 a of the device with closed tongs 10, 20. Additional, it has to be mentioned that the stationary tongs element of the first tongs 10 is referred to by 11, of course, while the movable tongs element here is referred to by reference number 12.

Although the invention has been described by exact examples that are illustrated in the most extensive detail, it is pointed out that this serves only for illustration and that the invention is not necessarily restricted thereto as alternative embodiments and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the disclosure. Accordingly, modifications are contemplated which can be made without departing from the spirit of the described invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. Devices for winding or unwinding of two-dimensional sheet material, comprising: at least one pair of tongs, wherein at least two gripping and/or tongs elements delimiting at least partly a winding space interact with at least one roller each being arranged at the ends of the gripping and/or tongs elements and having a roller surface, wherein at least one of the rollers can be driven rotatorily, and the rollers are arranged to be put against a winding of the two-dimensional roll material in order to set the winding in a winding motion in opposite direction of the turning movement of the rollers for winding or unwinding the two dimensional roll material.
 2. Device according to claim 1, further comprising two rollers extending parallel to each other.
 3. Device according to claim 1, wherein at least one roller is forced-driven.
 4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one roller has an electric or hydraulic drive.
 5. Device according to claim 1, further comprising two pairs of tongs orientated parallel with respect to each other.
 6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one roller is supported on at least one pair of tongs.
 7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pair of tongs is arranged for performing a gripping movement.
 8. Device according to claim 1, further comprising two parallel orientated pairs of tongs, and wherein the tongs in each of the pairs respectively have stationary and movable gripping and/or tongs elements.
 9. Device according to claim 1, further comprising two parallel orientated pairs of tongs, and wherein the tongs each have stationary and movable gripping and/or tongs elements, and wherein the gripping and/or tongs elements of each of the pairs of tongs are moved hydraulically relatively towards each other.
 10. Device according to claim 1, further comprising two parallel orientated pairs of tongs, and wherein each of the pairs of tongs has stationary and movable gripping and/or tongs elements, and wherein at the stationary gripping and/or tongs element in each of the pairs, respectively, a gripping element axle is provided by which the gripping movement is performed as swiveling movement.
 11. Device according to claim 1, further comprising two parallel orientated pairs of tongs, and wherein each of the pairs of tongs has stationary and movable gripping and/or tongs elements, and wherein at the movable gripping and/or tongs elements at least one reinforcement or two reinforcements are provided.
 12. Device according to claim 1, further comprising two parallel orientated tongs, and wherein each of the pairs of tongs has stationary and movable gripping and/or tongs elements, and wherein the roller arranged at the movable gripping and/or tongs elements is supported swiveling on a roller swivel axle, or the roller is attached exchangeably to the roller swivel axle.
 13. Device according to claim 1, further comprising a transport bracket for transporting the device.
 14. Device according to claim 13, wherein the transport bracket is joined to stationary gripping and/or tongs elements of the at least one pair of tongs.
 15. Device according to claim 13, wherein the transport bracket is arranged to be shortened for lifting the winding of the two-dimensional roll material.
 16. Device according to claim 13, further comprising an electro-mechanic drive for the transport bracket.
 17. Device according to claim 1, further comprising a cutting or sawing device for cutting two-dimensional roll material.
 18. Device according to claim 17, further comprising two parallel orientated pairs of tongs, and wherein each of the pairs of tongs has stationary and movable gripping and/or tongs elements, and wherein the cutting or sawing device is provided at a stationary gripping or tongs element of the at least one of the pairs of tongs.
 19. Device according to claim 17, wherein the sawing device is configured as a circular saw driven by an electro-motor.
 20. Device according to claim 1, that is configured as a coupling device to an automotive vehicle or as an automotive vehicle. 